December 01, 2010
322nd Air Division
Châteauroux - Déols Air Station
Châteauroux - Déols, France
SEARCHING
Tommy Scott, Joe Friday, Hopkins, Young, (The Group); Le Chat Qui Fume Bar, Brooks, Gary McDonnell
Don Drackert, Dee Newcombe, Walter Culley, Tom Boutwell
Sgt. Kenneth Earnest
ALBURTUS, Patton L.
@ Chas:
1963 - 1966
322nd Air Division Command Post
Lawrence, MI
2-3-08 jpnote: DuWayne Gilbertson (listed below) was searching for Patton.
AMRHEIN, Paul @ Chas: 62-66 - Email unavailable
1602 Air Transport Wing & 322nd Air Division
Universal City, TX (near San Antonio)
6-15-03 Comments: I was assigned to the 1602 Air Transport Wing & 322nd Air Division working in personnel.
BARBOUR, Paul
@ Chas: 1965-1967
322nd Air Division Command Post
Big Bear, CA & Las Vegas, NV
6-11/2006 Some of my fondest memories are of Chas. Being one of the very last to leave Déols in 67, I proceeded to Stuttgart, Germany to finish my tour. I then moved back to Chas and lived right on Rue de la Gare. Lived there for almost a year selling VW's. Last visit was in 04 when I toured Europe on my Valkyrie. Spent 2 weeks in Chas. and did a lot of hiking. My 23 year friendship with a French soldier from CAB (Jean Pierre Lamont) was my most memorable experience until his untimely demise. One of my favorite memories, was taking a group of Boy Scouts up to Le Mans for the races. Here we are bringing a tire from the winning car back to hang on our wall. I was fortunate to live off base and therefore able to meet many of the locals. Sorry, I don't have any pictures remaining to send. Lost over the years! I was bartender for the base NCO club, which turned out to be a godsend. Never drank in my life because of that experience, and always had extra money to spend on the local economy. Since I was always being (loaned out) (TDY), I never really made any lasting friendship in Chas. Still love the beauty of France to this date.......Paul Barbour
BOKA, Al
11/02/2002 Great memories of
Châteauroux. I lived in the "Immeuble Gambetta" in the center of town and not
far from Joe's place. Great souvenirs of strolls between the apartment along rue
de la gare...the grey volkswagen, etc. I return every now and then to
France but not yet to Châteauroux. I am organizer and director of the Las Vegas
Marathon and do attract many French marathoners to my event.
[jpnote: 9-2005
Chicago-based Devine Racing bought the Las Vegas International Marathon last
year from Al Boka, who directed it for 23 years.]
@ Chas: 1965-1966
322nd Air Division Command Post
Las Vegas, NV
1-8-10 Guestbook: I am sitting at my computer [Jan. 8, 2010] looking at a souvenir copy of the Sabre Blade dated Mar. 11, 1966. In the "Trading Post" section Miss Johnston is selling a 1955 Olds "88" with 58,000 "actual" miles for $150 o.b.o. and she will be willing to finance the sale. Wow! Searching: Anyone who worked in the 322nd Command Post during these years. We all moved to High Wycombe in 1967 with "Operation Freloc" when CDG booted the US Forces out of France. It turned out to be a nice location but I only spent one year then got transferred to the MATS command post in Athens, Greece.
[jpnote: Al's email
address was lost since 2005 - then out of the blue he signed the guestbook
again! Welcome back, Al!]
DONATO, Marty
@ Chas 63 - 65
1602 Air Transport Wing
& 322nd Air Division Supply
Denver, Colorado
9-6-05 Had a great time there. For a time my office was just two doors down from my room. Friends included Jameson who worked in the command post and DuWayne Gilbertson who was Gen. Forman's driver. (Listed below)
[jpnote: 1-23-08
Emailed Marty re: DuWayne Gilbertson, Jr.'s entry below]
@ Chas 62 - 65
1602nd Air
Transport Wing
Roseville, MN
6-14-09 Searching: Jerry Lind [Listed below] & Dee Newcome & Joe From Maine! Joe From Maine Would love to hear from both Jerry & Dee. Jerry was my boss -- a super boss by the way.
FIKE, Donald
@ Chas: 1963-67
322nd Air Division
&
1616th Support Sqdn (MATS)
Detroit, MI
12-14-08 Searching: Tommy Scott, Joe Friday, Hopkins, Young, (The Group); Le Chat Qui Fume Bar, Brooks, Gary McDonnell
Had the fastest 56 Ford Sunliner on Base. Really Loved Chateauroux
GILBERTSON, DuWayne, Jr
322nd Air Division
Ada, MN
[1-23-08 jpnote: DuWayne - see Marty
Donato's entry above. JP emld DuWayne re Pat Alburtus - no replies.]
HABZANSKY, Andy
1-5-06 Was not at Chas; went to 322AD
upon their arrival at High Wycombe. I remember how much they talked
about Chas and still I use a French word now and again I picked up from my
fellow airmen. Searching for Chas guys that transferred to High Wycombe.
JAMIESON, James R.
Stationed at High Wycombe with the 322nd Air Division that transferred from Chas
Hammond, IN
1602 Air Transport Wing & 322nd Air Division
@ Chas: Jul 1962- Jul 1965
Pittsburgh, PA
1-25-09 I was assigned to the Command Post of the 1602nd and 322nd Air Division from July 1962 thru June 1965.
LIND, T/Sgt Gerald
1602 Air Transport Wing & 322nd Air Division Supply
@ Chas: Jul 1962- Jul 1965
Everett, WA
6-12-08 Searching: Don Drackert, Dee Newcombe, Walter Culley, Tom Boutwell
I worked in Personnel in the CBPO as NCOIC of Machine Accounting the initial forray of the AF to mechanize personnel records.
MAYNARD, Mike
@ Chas: 3/65-5/66
322nd Air Division Hq
Pembroke Pines, FL.
10/12/2000 Comments: Would anyone have a map of the base (CHAS)? I was there in 1965 to 1966. After 34 years I only
can remember where some of the more important buildings were located ...like the
Airman's club, the gym and the barracks where I lived for about 18 months.
The 322nd HQ bldg was between the airman's club and the barracks...life was so
simple when you were 18-19?? Work, mess hall, club...the bunk!
02/06/2001 I visit this site often hoping to see names of
friends who were stationed in Châteauroux with from 1965-66. I was with the
322nd AD that eventually move to High Wycombe. I have found one friend...Otto
Sprossel (actually we have kept in contact over the last 33 years). He was my
immediate supervisor while at Wycombe and it has been, as it was back in
1966-68, a priviledge and a real pleasure to meet someone like Otto. Working for
and with him in the 322nd was one of the great times in my life. This web site
brings back many great memories....I'll try to share some of them with other
guests to this site. I have particularly fond memories about
some of the little French villages that were scattered in the countryside
around Châteauroux. Some so small that there was only a restaurant and a few
farms. The restaurants were always outstanding for the food, value and service.
Of course we all know about the wine!! There was one particular town that I
remember....Blois! It was on a river and I could buy wine in the grocery
store for .25 a bottle. I also remember a town called Buzancais
.Many trips to Paris via Orleans..great rides in a small VW bug with three other
GIs. Always stayed in a hotel on the Left Bank in Montparnesse...I'll have
to dig in some old papers to find the name of the hotel...but many US Air Force
guys stayed there because the price was right and they were very nice to us! 12/30/2001 two of the most
unforgetable years of my life (1965-66) ....great place and great people! I plan
to return and show my two sons the beautiful countryside and small French
villages. 05/16/2002: 1965-1966 then
to High Wycombe, England; hung around airman's club with Dennis Teague (Medic),
Jerry Meadows (322nd) and the driver of General Forman's car (memory lapse for
name!)
[jpnote: General Forman's driver's name was Dwayne Gilbertson.
See Marty Donato's entry above] Major Hartmann and Msgt Dewey Brown were my immediate supervisors. Had
some real great times in France!
MCLAUGHLIN, Major General Burl L.
08/05/2000
Comments: What a surprise! First time in over 34 years that I hear
from anyone who was stationed @ Châteauroux! I was at the station from
March 1965 to April/May 1966. Assigned to the 322nd
Air Division HDQ. After so many years the memories start to fade but I
recall some of my best experiences in the USAF while being at Châteauroux.
Of course the Airman's club, the deli? (some type of restaurant/cafeteria) [jpnote: aka The Snack
Bar] where I would get coffee and
read the "Stars&Stripes". The movie theater...the post office where I
went at least two times everyday looking for a letter from home. The town of
Châteauroux was great...can't remember the bar downtown but I remember you went
down some stairs into a "basement like" setting. [jpnote:
That was Joe From Maine's place. Still there - Joe still alive - see his
page elsewhere on this website!] The restaurant in a hotel across the
street from the train station was very nice. {jpnote:
That was Le Faison - still there! - but not so nice anymore] I
still have some pictures of an airshow that was held at Déols
(C-124/C-130/C-117) I hope more vets find this page and log in a note!
I will visit this web page often..thanks!
New Recruit
- 1965-66 just before leaving for High Wycombe. This barracks faced
some of the most
beautiful
country side (farm land) in central France. I
was 18.
In March 1966 he went to Châteauroux Air Station, France, as commander of the 322nd Air Division (Military Airlift Command), single manager of airlift in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia as far east as Calcutta, India. During August 1966 the 322nd Air Division moved to High Wycombe Air Station, England, under Operation FRELOC, relocation of U.S. Forces in France.
SMITH, Guy "Catfish"
@ Chas: 1959-1963
322nd Air Division Supply
Warner Robins, GA
03/18/2004 Comments: I shall never ever forget Colonel Charles F. Burley and his Sports Program. How easy he made it for everyone. PS Hello, Evo Mini "Catfish"
[jpnote: I watched Catfish play ball many times.]
@ Chas: 1965-66
322nd Air Division - Detachment 44, HQ MATS
8-8-09 Searching: Sgt. Kenneth Earnest - Served with Det. 44 (Management Engineering) at CHAS until July '66. Moved with unit to High Wycombe AS from 66-67.
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